AEGiS-11IAC: Female adolescents attitudes, behaviors and HIV/AIDS risk perception in Argentina.

11th International AIDS Conference


Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

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Female adolescents attitudes, behaviors and HIV/AIDS risk perception in Argentina.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:488 (abstract no. Pub.D.1326)
Re MI, Pagani L, Bianco M; Fundacion para Estudio e Investigacion de la Mujer, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fax: (54 1) 476 2763.

ISSUE: Adolescents in Argentina do not have formal sexual education at schools. The only information they have is mainly due to mass media and peers. Female adolescents are less informed than males about sexuality and HIV/AIDS prevention, and their cultural patterns are an obstacle to promote safer sex practices.

PROJECT: During 1995-5 FEIM developed Sexuality, Gender and HIV/AIDS Prevention Workshops for male and female adolescents - 11 to 20 years old - attending secondary schools from slum areas of Buenos Aires and inner cities. Information about sexual initiation, risk perception and sexual practices was reached by anonymous questionnaires. Sexual attitudes, behaviors and beliefs were studied through participative techniques during workshops.

RESULTS: We analyzed 859 questionnaires. 150 of them had initiated sexual relations, 49 of them at 16 years old or younger ages. In inner cities females sexual initiation is higher than in Buenos Aires City. They usually have sex "for love", and "confidence" in their partners is the main obstacle for risk perception, which is very low; 18. They do not use condoms regularly because they neither perceive themselves at risk, nor recognize condoms as a contraceptive method, and/or they do not trust its protection.

LESSONS LEARNED: To work gender perspective with mixed groups of adolescents is very important to promote sexual behavior changes. Women do not perceive their higher vulnerability to HIV/AIDS infection and they usually do not know to negotiate safer sex with their partners, although they realize the subordinated role of women, specially in sexual relations. Their approach to equity patterns is essential to empower them and to practice safer sex.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Risk-Taking, Condoms, Safe Sex, HIV Infections, Coitus, Attitude to Health, Questionnaires, Argentina, Human, Female, Male, Adolescence, ICA11KWDaegis,hiv,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,knowledge,attitudes,practice,risk-taking,condoms,safesex,hivinfections,coitus,attitudetohealth,questionnaires,argentina,human,female,male,adolescence,ica11

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PubD1326

Copyright © 1996 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.